Until Our Last Dance
by zokens
Summary: Zuko is stressed and Katara helps him relax


It's been days since Zuko was recovered from his injuries and he had been crowned Fire Lord. Katara stayed by his side for the most part, checking over him obsessively. He had finally been able to get up and walk around. He was sick of everyone babying him. Zuko headed out of his chambers, tying his belt tighter around him as he pushed open the door to the outside. Zuko let his feet carry him to his mothers garden. He grinned as he saw the pond full of turtleducks. Zuko knelt down, crouching as he dipped his fingers into the pond, smiling wide.

" you're sitting out here by the turtleducks all alone?" Katara asked, stepping forward out of the shadows that she was hiding in.

Zuko glanced up at her and smiled shyly " well, I need time to myself sometimes"

" Do you want me to leave then?" She motioned back to the entrance of the palace

" No, you can stay. come." He patted the ground next to him. Katara smiled a bit and walked over to the pond, looking at the little ducklings and then back to Zuko.

" you look tense." Katara admitted

" I am. What are you doing out here?"

" looking for you." She smiled and held her hand out for him " stand up. I know a way to calm you down."

He cocked one of his eyebrows as he looked at her, unsure of what her plans were.

" we're going to dance."

" Dancing?" he looked at her, hesitantly grabbing her hand as she pulled him up. He towered over her, cocking his head a bit

" What, do you have a stiff stick up your ass that prevents you from letting loose for once?"

He chuckled a bit and shakes his head in response. " No, I mean there isn't any music for us to dance to.."

" We don't really need music you know, we can set our own beat." She looked up at him

" alright, I trust you." He grinned and entwined his fingers in hers. She placed her other hand on his shoulder and tilted her chin upward once again to look into his eyes.

" Deep breaths. "

" Do you know how to slow dance?" He chuckled

" nope. Do you?"

" Unfortunately so. my sister and I had to learn when we were kids"

She smiled softly at him " then you lead. The Southern Water Tribe didn't really do a lot of slow dances, you know. It wasn't particularly necessary for us."

He grinned. " maybe you can tell me a little more about your culture then, that is, uh- if you want to" he stammered slightly as he felt his face heat up.

" Zuko." She giggled a bit, stroking the back of his hand with her slender tanned fingers.

" Huh?" He blinked at her

" Shut up. I told you I was staying here with you. You offered me to be an Ambassador and I accepted. I am not going anywhere. I promise you this."

He chuckled, then slowly spun her around, catching her in his arms and dipping her. He then lowered his head down closer to hers, murmuring softly to her " Thank you, Katara. I mean it."

" I already told you that I should be the one thanking you." She recited the words to him once more.

He chuckled a bit and leaned in closer, kissing her lightly.

Katara smiled a bit against his lips, moving her arms around his neck as she kissed him back.

" Careful, you don't know what you're getting into, Fire Lord." She teased as she pulls away.

" I think I do, Katara." He smiled.

Katara was a wonderful Ambassador. The pair had spent almost every waking moment together. Zuko was sure he was completely in love with her, and she was in love with him. She was still having a hard time adapting to life in the Fire Palace. She sat with her toes in the pond, loving the feel of her element around her.

" Hey. What are you doing?" Zuko said softly from behind her.

Katara whipped her head around, staring at him. She grinned a bit and looked at him " hey, I like to come here and think. The little turtleducklngs are cute, and I'm surrounded by my element."

" you know this has become quite a popular spot for us." he admitted. She let out a soft laugh once more, then nodded.

" it is a popular spot. my favorite one I'd say." Katara grinned

"Will you give me the honor of dancing with me?"

Katara's lips curled into a gentle smile as she held her hand out to take his.

" Of course, we'll listen to the music in our hearts, like always?"

Zuko pulled her up to her feet, smirking playfully.

" this time you need more fun. Not a slow dance."

" Oh?" She tilted her head

" One of your dances. Celebratory dances, perhaps"

" You really have been brushing up on your Southern Water Tribe culture, haven't you?"

" What can I say, I have the greatest teacher in the world" Zuko smirks and Began to dance. It was a dance usually done after a successful hunt. After all, one could say they were very successful. The Four Nations were at peace now, and everything seemed to be going great.

Katara pulled Zuko by his hands and looked into his eyes " How does it feel to be a married man, now?"

Zuko grinned, kissing her forehead " it feels wonderful to be married to the love of my life, now tell me Katara" his golden eyes shone with amusement as he looked down at his wife

" How does it feel to be Fire Lady?"

" I guess I'll get used to it." She smirked at him

" Would you come dance with me?" Zuko asked after a moment

Katara nodded, sliding her arm into his

" Are we going to dance here, or by our turtleduck pond?"

" I'm shocked that you had to ask me that."

" I already knew your answer, I just like listening to you talk sometimes" Zuko admitted with a slight blush covering his cheeks

Katara laughs again, then walked alongside him as they headed to their pond to dance

The next time Katara sat at the pond, she was unsure of what to do. She held one of her hands over her stomach and the other moving her fingers back and fourth causing small waves. The Turtleducks quacked in protest at her, but she didn't stop the motions.

" What's on your mind?" Zuko asked from behind Katara. He walked over and wrapped his arms around her from behind, hugging her as he buried his face in her hair, nuzzling it lightly.

" I found something out today."

" good or bad?"

" Really, really good." She grinned and turned to face him " I'm pregnant, Zuko."

He began to laugh joyfully and picked her up, gently swinging her around. He began to cry tears of happiness as he buried his face in her hair once more.

" I love you so much, Katara"

" I love you too, Zuko" she smiled

Zuko placed her on her feet again and smiled at her

" Dance?" She asked him

" You had to ask? You should know the drill by now, Moonflower" he laughed a bit

And so they danced. They danced until the moon shone high above their heads, relishing in each other and their news.

Their son, Iroh was old enough to see the Turtleducks now. In the ten years they had been married Katara and Zuko had four children. Iroh who was six, Izumi who was four and Kya who was two, and Katara was six months pregnant with their fourth, another son. Katara led their little family to the Turtleduck pond and sat down on one of the benches

" What are they, daddy?" Iroh pointed to the Turtleducks

" Those are Turtleducks, your grandmother Ursa loved to come with me and feed them" he said fondly, remembering his childhood.

" They cute" Iroh mused, holding his hand out when one of the turtleducklings quacked inquisitively at him.

" Go ahead, be gentle though" Katara nodded to their son, holding her hand down as well to allow another one of the babies to climb into her open hands.

Katara and Zuko both held one of the turtleducklings in their palms and let Izumi and Iroh hold them, instructing their children to be gentle

" They're little babies, their mother trusts us to care for them and not hurt them, Much like we trust others to not hurt you two" Zuko smiled a bit.

" We would like to show you something too" Katara said softly.

Zuko, Iroh and Izumi were confused by this, but Katara grinned even wider and held her hand out to her husband after she released the turtleduckling back into the pond

" Dance with me?"

" Always, sweet Moonflower " he murmured, taking her hand in his and leading her into a slow dance.

Iroh and Izumi watched their parents curiously, amazed by their dance. It was as if it was natural to them. Which, it was. Katara and Zuko came to dance almost every night, but it had been a while since they had their children. Their movements were much like their bending. Katara had learned from Zuko and Zuko had learned from Katara. They matched each other perfectly with every step and every turn.

" There isn't any music though?" Iroh said in confusion

Katara shakes her head, pausing to pick him up. She placed Iroh on her hip and kissed his little chubby cheek. " you don't always need music to dance, just feel the song in your heart" she pointed to his heart and began to sway her hips to demonstrate.

Iroh had grown to be a fine young man. He was a non-bender and reminded Zuko and Katara of Sokka. Sokka and Iroh had been the best of friends. Iroh was under his tutelage and he became a Fine swordsman.

" Mother, will you teach me to dance at the turtleduck pond?" He asked Katara out of the blue.

Katara's eyes widened in surprise. " you want to dance?"

Iroh nodded.

" I want to make sure I don't embarrass myself in front of my future wife." He admitted shyly

" Of course" she laughed a bit, then led Iroh to the turtleduck pond

" Mother?"

" Yes, my penguin?" She smiled fondly at her son. He had towered over her, despite being only sixteen.

" How come you and dad always come out here?"

" When we were younger, I had found him out here and we began a tradition of dancing. It was a stress reliever for us, and it was a way for us to bond."

Iroh smiled, then took his mothers hand like he had seen Zuko do many times. He began to slowly sway with her, but let Katara take the lead.

" its one of our ways we say ' I love you' without needing words." Katara admitted.

Iroh smiled back. He hoped one day he would find a love as deep, passionate and special as his parents'.

Zuko and Katara watched as their last son got married. Kai, their youngest, had been painfully shy and awkward. Kai was always flustered and stumbled over his words every single time he attempted to talk to a girl. Even as he had grown older, he never grew out of his awkward stage, but his now wife seemed to like that.

" dance?" Zuko leaned over to whisper in Katara's ear. She had been crying almost the entire wedding. Her last child had finally gotten married.

She smiled and nodded at Zuko

" dance" she confirmed as her husband led her to their turtleduck pond again.

Zuko and Katara danced until they couldn't dance any longer.

Katara and Zuko continued to dance long after their children left the palace and long after their grandchildren were born. They had aged quite significantly since the birth of their grandchildren, but they wouldn't want it any other way. Zuko was now ninety two and Katara was ninety. They refused to stop dancing even after their bones would ache with every last movement.

" We've been married for nearly seventy two years, you'd think we'd get tired of this by now, huh?" Zuko teased as his lips brushed the crown of Katara's head

" I would never get tired of dancing with you. "

Katara took a deep breath as she walked to the turtleduck pond, smiling sadly. " good morning, Zuko" she murmured, closing her eyes slightly, feeling the sun shine on her face. Agni, the brightness the sun gave off reminded her of him. She missed her husband more than anything. Zuko died peacefully in his sleep a week ago and Katara didn't know how to find the will to go on. Their son, Iroh has been crowned Fire Lord not long after the funeral for Zuko.

" I hope you're sharing a nice cup of tea with your uncle now." She laughed shakily, wiping tears from her eyes. She flung her wrist down, bending the rest of the salty liquid from her face and into the pond.

" do you know how hard it is to dance when you don't have music? Or without a dance partner?" She sobbed quietly, letting herself rest on the bench.

" sixty years of marriage. You promised me you wouldn't go, but you did."

Katara took her final breath that night, dying in her sleep the same way her husband had gone.

Zuko waited for her at the pond. He grinned as soon as he saw his wife's messy curls tied back in her signature braid. Zuko began to walk towards Katara, holding his hand out for her.

" May I have this dance, Fire Lady Katara?"

Katara turned to look at him, smiling brightly. She had never lost that fierce look in her sapphire eyes.

" of course."

She let him take her hand. Zuko pulled Katara gently to his chest and cupped her cheeks In his hands.

" I missed you" Katara murmured

" I missed you, too" Zuko grinned, leaning down and placing his forehead on hers as they felt the warmth from the sun shining down on them. One of the turtleducks in the pond quacked loudly. Katara couldn't take the waiting much longer. She stood on her toes and met Zuko's lips with hers

" is this our last dance?"

" never, there's too many more to come, my little Moonflower" Zuko grinned.


End file.
